Meeting rail latch



Dec. 19, 1950 H. A. KAUFMANN 2,534,605

MEETING RAIL LATCH Filed April 20, 1945 INVENTOR HARRY A. KAUFMANN Patented Dec. 19, 1950 MEETING RAIL LATGH Harry A. Kaufmann, Detroit, Mich, assignor to The Kaufmann Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a

corporation of Michigan Application April 20, 1945, Serial No. 589,422

1 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a meeting rail latch, and particularly to a type thereof applicable to a double hung storm window mounted in a metal sash.

In constructing storm windows for use in a wide variety of installations, such as homes, factories, stores and public buildings, it has been found especially desirable to utilize a metal sash for the purposes of strength, neatness, appear-- ance and. minimum light obstruction. In carrying out these objectives, and particularly that of minimizing the light obstruction, it has been found desirable to construct the sash as small as possible and still maintain sufficient strength to support and protect the glass, or screen, panel.

When these metal sashes are made from a rolled sheet metal, or are extruded. the above named objectives can be accomplished readily and a tight, highly satisfactory storm window may be constructed in a variety of ways. EX- amples of this type of storm window construction are found in my Patents Nos. 2,292,273 and 2,359,756.

However, in all of these forms there has been suflicient flexibility in the sash and in the glass panel that the meeting rails of a large window could be forced apart by the pressur of a strong wind, thus allowing both air leakage and an objectionable rattling. Many different types of devices for latching these meeting rails together have been tried but all of the presently known forms require a larger mounting space, or engaging area, than is provided by the small sash which it has been found desirable to use to attain the cbiectives mentioned above.

It has therefore long been h ghly desirable to provide some form of meeting rail latch which would hold the relatively small meeting rail sash of storm windows of the t pe indicated tightly together and under all conditions prevent their rattling.

After considerable experimentation, during which a large number of proposals were tried, I have discovered an extremely simple device which sati factorily performs this function and which is both easy to install and certain in operation. In addition, my improved latch is installed independently of the storm window sash and its appurtenances. so that it is easy to accommodate said latch to any ordinary variations or irregularities in the construction and installation of either the storm windows. the main windows or the res ective ac om anying frames.

Accordingly, the principal object of my invention has been to provide a meeting rail latch for 2 a metal frame storm window which will hold said meeting rails tightly together.

A further object of m invention has been to provide a meeting rail latch of the kind mentioned which is simple in construction, easy to install and reliable in operation.

A further object of my invention has been to provide a storm window meeting rail latch which may be adjusted in its installation to compensate for irregularities in; either the storm window or the main window construction.

Other objects and purposes of my invention will be apparent to those acquainted with devices of this type and will accordingly come. within the scope of my invention, excepting as the hereinafter appended claims expressly provide other- In the drawings: Figure 1 is a partially broken, partially sectioned oblique view of a wooden window and metal sash storm window construction showing the manner of installation of my improved latch.

Figure 2 is a View partially in section showing a side view of my improved latch.

Figure 3 is a broken plan view partially in section taken on the plane indicated by the lines III-III in Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows showing the sash distorted in an exaggerated manner for clarity of disclosure.

Figure 4 is a section through the sash of a storm window showing a different type of sash which may advantageously be used with my improved latch.

Referring now to Figure 1 there is shown partially in section a broken oblique view of a pair of double hung wooden windows I and 2 together with a corresponding pair of double hung metal sash storm windows s and 5'. The frame supporting these windows is not shown in the figure but it will be understood that it may be of any conventional type such as those shown in my above mentioned patents. Particularly, the frame holds the vertical edges of the main sash and of the storm sash in any ordinary manner against inward or outward motion with respect to said frame. A portion of the glass panel 3 is shown associated with the window sashes l and 2 but the remainder thereof is omitted in the interest of simplifying the drawing. The storm window sash are shown as fitted with the class panels 6 and 3, although it will be understood that said panels may be screen equally as well as glass.

The storms windows include the outer and inner meeting rails s and 53 which normally lie against each other in an installation such as that 3 illustrated by the Patent No. 2,292,273, but which in a particularly large installation may under certain conditions of weather, such as a high wind, be caused to rattle and vibrate against each other.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 2 there is shown the latch 20 mounted pivotally to the underside of the outer main sash meeting rail by the headed screw I2. Said latch consists of a substantially horizontal shank 2| bending upward at 22 to form a vertical bearing part 26. This extends to a point slightly above the normal uppermost plane of the inner storm window meeting rail 9 and then bends outwardly toward the storm window at said point 23 to form the short engaging end 24. A loop 25, encircling the mounting screw l2, holds said latch in position.

The latch may conveniently be made from any heavy wire stock having a high degree of resilience to exert pressure, as required by the following details of construction, without becoming distorted.

The horizontal arm 2| is made of such length with respect to the particular type of installation contemplated that the vertical bearing part 26 will, as it is moved pivotally around the mounting screw I 2, describe an arc intersecting the normal plane of the nearest surface of the meeting rail 9. Thus, when the latch is swung on said pivoting screw I2 to place the arm 2| perpendicularly with respect to the said nearest surface of the inner storm meeting rail 5, the bearing part 26 will exert against it a considerable outward pressure. Preferably, there is caused a substantial outward distortion of said meeting rail as indicated by the view in Figure 3. In this way the inne meeting rail 9 is urged outwardly and caused to bear against the outer meeting rail 8 with sufiicient force to hold the two tightly together and withstand vibration by even the strongest wind. By suitably adjusting the entering point for screw I2 into the sash I toward 0r away from the storm sash, the latch may be adjusted in its Original installation sufficiently to compensate for any irregularities in the window frame construction and insure the exerting of proper pressure outwardly against the meeting rail.

Although not essential, it will be found convenient to provide suitable means for holding the bearing member 26 against sideward displacement from its operating position in contact with the meeting rail 9. Such mean may comprise a small depression into said meeting rail for the partial reception thereinto of said bearing member or a suitable part thereof, or a pair of outwardly projected pimples 28 located one on each side of the normal engaging position of said bearing member.

If the upper sash is, by any convenient means, not readily removable from the outside and is held against more than limited downward movement, it will be seen that this will function also as a lock permitting the upper storm window and the lower inner window to be left slightly open for ventilation without fear of entry by improper persons.

Accordingly, I have disclosed and described a type of storm window meeting rail sash latch which is extreme in its simplicity, easy to make, install and maintain, and yet which operates accurately and positively at all times.

Variations in the exact contour of the latch member may be made freely without going beyond the scope of my invention and the latch may be used with several different types of storm window sash such as that shown in Figure 4 as well as with the type shown in Figures 1 and 2. All of these variations will be included within the scope of my invention excepting as the hereinafter appearing claims may otherwise expressly provide.

Having thus fully disclosed and described my invention, I claim:

1. In a window assembly for a building structure having a substantially rigid main window sash construction having a centrally disposed member held against inward and outward movement with respect to said building structure, and a pair of relatively flexible double hung storm sashes each equipped with a meeting rail and spaced outwardly from said main window sash construction and held at their peripheries against inward and outward movement with respect to said main window sash construction, means for holding the meeting rails of said storm sashes against inward and outward movement with respect to each other comprising: a latching member having at one of its ends means for mounting said latching member to said centrally disposed member substantially midway between the ends of said centrally disposed member for horizontal pivotal movement; a hook at the other of the ends of said latching member tracing an arcuate path as said latching member is pivoted about its said mounting means; said mounting means and said hook spaced apart a distance greater than the normal spacing between the point of attachment of said mounting means to said centrally disposed member and the inward face of the meeting rail of the inward of said storm sashes whereby at one position of said hook in said arcuate path said hook engages the meeting rail of said inward storm sash for imposing an outwardly directed force at a point intermediate the sides of said storm sash, said force being suflicient to cause a substantial outward flexion of the meeting rails of both of said storm sashes.

2. In a window assembly for a building structure having a pair of substantially rigid, double hung, vertically sliding main window sashes held against inward and outward movement with respect to said building structure, and a pair of relatively flexible double hung storm sashes spaced outwardly therefrom and held at their peripheries against inward and outward movement with respect to said main window sashes, means holding the meeting rails of said storm sashes against movement inwardly or outwardly with respect to each other, said means comprising: a resilient, horizontally disposed, elongated member having an upwardly extending hook-shaped portion at one end, a mounting means at the other end and a shank portion therebetween; means at said other end pivotally attaching said mounting mean to the lower surface of the meeting rail of the upper one of said main window sashes substantially midway between the ends of said meeting rail for horizontal, arcuate movement of said one end with respect thereto; said hook-shaped portion in one pivotal position resting adjacent said meeting rail of said upper one of said main window sash and in another pivotal position extending to and engaging the inner surface of the meeting rail of the inner of said storm sashes and engaging also the top thereof; said shank portion of said resilient member having a length 5 6 greater than the normal spacing between the REFERENCES CITED point of said pivotal mounting to Said main The following references are of record in the dow sash and the inner of said storm sash meetme of this patent: ing rails whereby said resilient member, when said hook portion engages said inner meeting 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS rail, imposes an outwardly directed force against Number Name Date the inner one of said storm window meeting 392,224 Reese Nov. 6, 1888 rails at a point intermediate the sides of said 963,983 Bernhard July 12, 1910 storm sashes, said force being sufiicient to cause 1,138,242 Olson May 4, 1915 substantial outward fieXion of both of said meet- 1 1,460,645 Duncan July 3, 1923 ing rails. Re. 20,249 Ellison Jan. 19, 1937 2,150,280 Killian Mar. 14, 1939 HARRY A. KAUFMANN. 2,151,934 Parrott Mar. 28, 1939 2,359,756 Kaufmann Oct. 10, 1944 

